Undertaker&#39;s appliance



, l lfness M. E. BRENNAN.

UNDERTAKERS APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-30,1920.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920i INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

UN DERTAKERS APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

Application filed. August 30, 1920. Serial No. 406,933.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL E. BRENNAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Undertakers Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has for one object the provision of an undertakers appliance in the nature of a support for the chin or lower jaw of a cadaver; the said appliance being susceptible of ready application and adjustment and being calculated to hold the lower jaw in closed position, and this with out in any way interfering with the circulation of the embalming fluid and without being repulsive in appearance.

Another object is the provision of an appliance for the purpose stated that is rigid in use as is desirable for the proper performance of its function and yet is capable of being reduced to a bundle of small compass so as to take up but little room in an undertakers case or kit.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, hereby made a part hereof Figure 1 is a view showing the novel appliance in side elevation as properly positioned on a cadaver.

Fig. 2 is a view of the appliance per 86, taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both views of the drawings.

My novel appliance comprises among other elements a yoke 1, a cross bar 2, and a jaw engaging member 3. The yoke 1 is made up of two sections hingedly connected together at 4 to facilitate application of the yoke to a cadaver.

The cross bar 2 of the appliance is characterized by apertured lugs 5 to receive the side rods .of the yoke 1, by an apertured lug 6 to receive the rod 7 of the chin engaging member 3, by set screws 8 bearing in the lugs 5 and adapted to engage the side rods of the yoke l, and by a set screw 9 bearing in the lug 6 and adapted to engage the rod '7, all with a view to adjustably fixing the bar 2 to the side rodsof the yoke, and the rod 7 to said cross bar so as to enable the appliance to operate to the best advantage.

In addition to the rod 7 the jaw engaging member'3 includes a plate-like head 10 at the inner end of the rod 7.

In the practical use of my novel appliance, the appliance is applied as clearly shown in Fig 1i. a, the yoke l is made to straddle the base of the neck of the cadaver, the bar 2 is adjustably fixed to the side rods of the yoke l and so as to rest on the chest of the cadaver, and after' being positioned to the best advantage for the function ascribed to it, the rod 7 of the jaw engaging member 3 is adjustably fixed to the bar 2 through the medium of the set screw 9.

Manifestly the yoke 1 which positively holds the cross bar 2 in position does not in any degree compress the blood vessels through which the embalming fluid reaches the face and which is a part of the body that the undertaker has to be careful with.

It will also be manifest that the cross bar 2 rests on the chest and is positively maintained in position by the rigidity of the yoke which will be appreciated as an important advantage when it is considered that considerable pressure is necessary to retain the lower jaw in closed position, and that when arranged as shown and described the cross bar 2 is well adapted to withstand such pressure.

It will further be understood that my novel appliance may be used to advantage by an embalmer during the entire time of the preparation of a body, thus assuring firm setting of the jaws and rendering it feasible for the body to be seen by those interested in the deceased.

Manifestly by withdrawing the side rods of the yoke 1 from the lugs 5, and the rod 7 from the lug 6, and folding the yoke 1, the appliance may be readily reduced to a compact bundle. It will also be appreciated that all of the parts may be quickly and easily assembled to form the appliance characterized by rigidity for the purpose stated.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

A jaw setting or chin-supporting appliance for the use of undertakers, comprising a yoke made up of rigid sections hingedly connected together and having side rods, a cross bar apertured to removably reon said r0d,and a set screw bearing in the bar ceive said side rods and havinq' a central and adapted to be set against the rod of theaperture, set screws bearing in the bar to jaw engaging member; said appliance sus- 1O adjustably fix the bar to the side rods, a ceptible of being disassembled and reduced chin or jaw engaging member made up of to a compact bundle.

a rod removably arranged and adjustable inv In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. the central aperture of the bar and a head MICHAEL E. BRENNAN. 

